


Spies

by crisiskris



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Canonical Character Death, M/M, Sad Ending, Unrequited Love, ghost bully
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-17
Updated: 2018-03-17
Packaged: 2019-04-03 18:23:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14001903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crisiskris/pseuds/crisiskris
Summary: Severus is too obtuse to understand what's being offered to him.





	Spies

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the Severus Snape Fuh-Q Fest in response to the scenario, "Peeves can't wait to tell Snape what he saw." Takes place during the summer of Order of the Phoenix and is basically canon-compliant.

Severus Snape slunk into the castle, keeping his head down. All he had to do was make it to the dungeons without anyone seeing him, and he would be left in peace. No one would force him to go to the infirmary, so that useless excuse for a medi-witch could look him over and shrug, saying there was really nothing she could do but monitor him, and nothing he could do but rest. He was close... he turned left and there were the stairs, three flights down to his office, and no one was around.

"I see you!" a shrieking voice cried, and Severus whirled around. Peeves was floating in the corridor, a big grin on his face.

"Shut it, Peeves," he growled tiredly, "Or I'll sick the Bloody Baron on you."

"But you don't want to do that, Professor," Peeves replied, "Or you'll never know what I saw."

Severus turned and began descending the stairs. If Voldemort had been coming out of the Forbidden Forest, at this point, he wouldn't care, so what did it matter what a poltergeist had seen? To his annoyance, however, the ghost followed him down, swooping along with an ease that seemed to exaggerate the pain that Snape was carrying in his body.

"Don't you want to know?" Peeves sing-songed.

"No," Snape scowled, waving his hands at the ghost as if he could make him disappear.

Peeves just cackled, flying close, his lips near Severus's ear. "I think you do," he whispered, and Severus could not contain a shiver as the cold breath washed over him.

He sighed. "If I agree to stand here and listen to what you have to say, will you promise to go away and leave me alone for the rest of the night?"

Peeves smiled, delighted. "Of course, I only thought you should know. I'm only trying to help, of course."

"What is it, Peeves?"

"I saw something."

Severus bit back a sarcastic retort. If he got angry now, Peeves would just draw it out, and the ghost didn't really care that Severus had been out all night being tortured by his supposed Master for failing, yet again, to kidnap Harry Potter or kill Albus Dumbledore. "What did you see?" he asked, his tone only slightly clipped.

"I saw someone leaning out the window, while you were gone. They were waiting, watching for you. I know because they told me so."

Severus rolled his eyes. Of course someone was waiting, watching for him. Someone always was. It was probably just Albus. He shook his head and began his final descent - he could see his chamber door now, so very close...

"Don't you want to know who?" Peeves cried in his ear. The sudden loudness startled Severus and he stumbled, cursing the stiffness in his legs.

"Oh very well," he replied, "Tell me who you saw, Peeves. And then get lost or I will have the Baron inflict a punishment on you such as you have never seen before."

Peeves looked a little frightened by this, but he covered it with a cackle. "Sirius Black," he exclaimed. "Sirius Black, Sirius Black, Sirius Black!" Still shrieking, Peeves flew up the stairs and disappeared around the bend.

Severus stood, shocked, for a moment. Sirius Black, waiting and watching for him. Of course Albus had asked him to, he realized. He really was far too tired.... He made his door at last, and stumbled inside, not even bothering to pull off his boots before he collapsed on the bed.

 ***

It was amazing what a good night's sleep could do for a person, Severus thought as he woke and stretched the next day. His back was still a bit stiff, but most of the pain had gone, and he could deal with a twinge here and there. He climbed out of bed, feeling well enough that he allowed himself to hum a cheery death march in the shower. Glancing at the clock as he dried his hair, he realized that he'd missed most of breakfast, so he hurried into a robe and headed for the Great Hall.

Most of the staff had already left by the time he arrived. Only Albus Dumbledore remained at the Head Table. "Ah, Severus!" he exclaimed as the dark man sat down. "Nice to see you dragged your tired old bones out of bed to join us this morning!" Severus sneered; he had just turned 39, and Albus had been joking about his age since two weeks before his birthday.

"I'm hardly the oldest pile of tired bones here, Headmaster," he replied, feeling smug. "I hear you had to have your pet dog watch for me last night. Whatever was the problem - could you not keep awake that late?" To his surprise, Albus didn't laugh along, as he usually did. Instead, he had cocked his head and was looking quite curious.

"I didn't ask Padfoot to watch for you last night, Severus. Whatever gave you that idea?"

Now Snape was confused as well. "Peeves told me. I just assumed that the mutt was on look-out duty for you."

"Hagrid was watching for you last night. He said he had to be up late to tend to the latest batch of valkrie eggs, anyway." Albus's blue eyes twinkled. "I wonder was Padfoot was doing," he said.

"Not feeling the least bit sorry for me, I can assure you, Headmaster," Severus cut in, knowing full well that Albus was about to lose himself in some delusion that Sirius Black and he could be friends. "Probably Peeves was lying, because it's oh-so-much-fun to torment me when I return from my meetings." He scowled, standing. "I shall have the Baron deal with him," he finished, and then swept out of the hall.

 ***

The Bloody Baron appeared during afternoon tea. "We've had a lengthy discussion, Professor," the Slytherin ghost intoned, "and Peeves continues to claim that he saw and spoke with Sirius Black last night. I would be quite suspicious of the mangy cur, if I were you."

Severus acknowledged the ghost with a nod of his head. "I already am, I assure you," he replied. He thanked the Bloody Baron for his efforts and the ghost flitted away, leaving Severus alone in his thoughts. If Peeves had been lying, he had no doubt that the Baron would have discovered it. Therefore, Peeves wasn't lying. That meant that Sirius Black had been watching for him the night previously. The thought that Black had any interest in him at all unsettled him. Black had been there all summer while his family home was being cleaned and prepared for use by the Order of the Phoenix, and thus far, the two childhood enemies had barely seen each other. Why would Black suddenly be paying attention to his movements?

Severus shook his head, dismissing the thoughts. It was nothing. Black was nothing. No doubt he was merely suspicious about Snape's loyalties, and hoping that he could catch the spy in an act of betrayal toward the order. Well, since that was never going to happen, there was nothing to worry about. If Black wanted to spend his nights staring off into space instead of sleeping, more the fool him.

 ***

A summons came a few days later. Severus was at least spared the pain of another round of Cruciatus, since Voldemort was so preoccupied with the recent escape of his beloved Lestranges. Bellatrix had made some thinly veiled sexual comments toward Severus regarding the size of his nose and its supposed implications, to which Lucius had haughtily replied that Severus was gay. Other than that, it was a long, boring meeting, pointless in that all the important information was given at the beginning, but Severus of course couldn't just sneak out halfway through and go home.

Indeed, it was nearing midnight when he finally apparated at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, picking his way gingerly through the trees and trying to keep quiet so as not to piss off the centaurs, who'd become increasingly unwelcoming as of late. Hagrid's light was on, and he nodded in that direction. A movement came from the window before the light dimmed. _Albus must have gone to bed early again tonight_ , Severus thought smirking in the moonlight.

He made it all the way to the dungeon, and was on the verge of opening his door, when Peeves appeared. "I saw him watching you again tonight," he teased, dashing through the Potions master to get his attention.

Severus shivered and glared. "I don't care, Peeves," he replied. God, could he not just come home and sleep one of these times?

"He talked about you, wouldn't you like to know what he said?"

"I can imagine what he said perfectly well on my own, thank you very much. I'm sure he told you all about my evil activities and how I was going to betray everyone," Snape replied.

Peeves laughed. "No, that's not what he said at all. He said he was very worried about you!"

Severus whirled around, pulling his wand even though the magic he could permit himself here would be useless on a ghost. _One dark spell would take care of this_ , he thought, but quashed the thought immediately. Instead, he put on his most intimidating glare, and gritted his teeth. "I thought," he said in a low tone, "That the Baron spoke to you about telling lies."

Peeves looked stricken. "I'm not lying!" He protested. "I swear it. Don't call the Bloody Baron, please!"

"Go!" Severus commanded, and the ghost was off in a flash. Severus opened his door, grumbling. Worried about him, indeed. The only thing Sirius Black ever worried about was whether he might get fleas. It was preposterous.

Suddenly, the pieces clicked together. Sirius Black was playing a prank on him. Sirius Black had sent Peeves down to disturb him. Rage began to heat up in his belly. Of course, that was it. What did it matter that Snape was returning from hell, vulnerable and raw, maybe hurt? What did it matter that he was risking his life day in and day out? Sirius Black wasn't suspecting him of being disloyal; he just didn't like Severus. Black wanted a laugh. It was all a trick.

His first impulse was to fling the door back open, stride up the stairs to the chambers that Black shared with Remus Lupin, and hex him into next week. Slytherins, however, did not act impulsively like Gryffindors, so Severus let the rage drain out of him and waited patiently until rational thought was restored. Then he smiled evilly. Sirius might be good at playing pranks, but Severus was very good at avenging them. Suddenly awakened and refreshed, he conjured himself a cup of tea and sat down before the fire for a very satisfying session of malicious plotting.

 ***

Albus called a meeting of the Order the next day. As he strode into the room, Severus caught a glimpse of Black's eyes following him. The damnable man stared at him as he gave his report about the Lestranges, finishing up with a warning about the Dementors at Azkaban. "It's going to happen, eventually, Albus, that the Ministry loses control of them, and when that happens, I intend to be far from this continent, let alone this country. Can you imagine what it will be like with Dementors on the Dark Lord's side?" He drew it out, painting as vivid a picture as he could, watching Black go pale and squirmy off to his right and barely hiding his satisfied smile, until Dumbledore finally noticed that his pet dog was in distress and cut Severus off with a little frown.

"You bastard, you did that on purpose," Sirius hissed at him when the meeting ended, and to Severus's surprise, he actually looked quite hurt. Perhaps he'd underestimated the amount of trauma a Dementor could do to an animal.

His pang of regret was not voiced, however. Instead, he looked at the animagus impassively and replied, "And you are purposely sending Peeves to harass me when I return from my meetings. I do not appreciate it and you will cease immediately." Again, to his surprise, Sirius looked confused instead of guilty.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, and try as he might, Severus could find no deception in his body language.

"Peeves, you fool. Peeves harassing me as I return late at night, taunting me about your watching me from the Astronomy tower. Did you have a good laugh together at my plight? Does my exhaustion amuse you? Or perhaps you really look forward to the nights when I return in pain; I'm sure the thought of the Dark Lord torturing me pleases you to no end."

Sirius had gone quite pale. "I'm going to kill Peeves," he said solemnly.

"That shouldn't be too difficult, even for you, since Peeves is already quite dead," Severus replied. He scowled at the other man, who was not reacting in the least the way he anticipated, and then turned to leave.

"Severus, wait," Black called, and the Potions master did a double take - Black, calling him by his first name? "Let me explain," the animagus continued, but Severus just shook his head.

"I think not," he replied, and strode away.

 ***

It had been bad, this time. Severus was barely capable of rational thought - barely capable of consciousness at this point, really - but he knew for certain that it had been _bad_ this time. He stumbled through the forest, trying not to choke on the blood pooling in his lungs, trying to ignore the fact that one of his legs was not working properly, desperately trying to get the hell out of the centaurs' territory and reach Hagrid's hut - there was no way he'd make it all the way to Hogwarts - before he passed out from the pain.

He was losing the battle. He crashed down onto the forest floor and found, to his panic, that he was unable to get up again. Whimpering pitifully, he began to crawl toward the clearing that marked the edge of Hogwarts school grounds. He wasn't going to make it.... his hands shook as he reached for his wand, preparing to send a shower of red sparks into the air, hopefully for Hagrid to see before the centaurs...he coughed, spitting up blood. He couldn't speak; his mind was fuzzy - what was the charm? Damn it, the charm! A haze settled over his eyes.

"Shh, it's all right, I've got you," a voice whispered, and strong arms picked him up. He was dimly aware of being cradled against a firm chest, hearing a heart beat quickly as he was lifted into the air, and then he was moving. And then there was blackness.

 ***

He awoke by degrees, becoming aware of the pain, and then, more slowly, of his surroundings. "Welcome back, Severus," Albus Dumbledore's voice rumbled from his side, low and somber. He opened his eyes to meet the older man's blue ones and was disturbed by the lack of twinkle he saw there.

"What's wrong, Albus?" he asked, worried.

Albus smiled, looking infinitely sad. "Why, you're hurt, my boy. I was concerned."

"It's nothing," Severus replied, sitting up. He immediately regretted his actions, hissing against the pain, but did not lie back. "I've survived worse."

"That doesn't lessen my concern."

Uncomfortable, Severus waved the other man's concern away and changed the subject. "How on earth did I get here? The last thing I remember is trying to recall the flare charm whilst lying on the forest floor. I suppose Hagrid was out and about? Lucky for me."

Albus smiled as he listened to the younger man sort through his thoughts. "Hagrid was watching for you, yes, but he was not in the forest. You are indeed lucky that someone else was, else we never would have reached you on time." His face darkened slightly as he thought of what the centaurs, suddenly so agitated after years of peaceful existence, would have done to his spy.

"Who was in the forest, then?" Severus asked, angered that someone who wasn't supposed to be there would be taking unnecessary risks - especially on his account.

"Sirius. He says he had a bad feeling, so he followed you when you left for the meeting, and waited for you in his animal form until you returned."

Sirius Black. Black had followed him? Black had a bad feeling? _Black_ was behind the strong arms and the soft voice that he barely recalled. "I find that difficult to believe," he said stonily.

Albus's eyes began to twinkle. "I think you might find our Mr. Black has matured some since you knew him to any degree," the older man replied, standing. "He was quite worried - he stayed in the forest all night, even after I expressly asked him not to." Patting Severus's shoulder, Albus moved to the door. "Open your mind, Severus. Don't go by what you knew."

Severus snorted, but before he had time to think of a reply, the damnable old man was gone.

 ***

Black. The image of the animagus haunted him, interrupting his thoughts as he sat trying to write out a new potion in his office. Black as a young man, taunting him for no reason. Black's face, hurt, after the last Order meeting. Black's arms. Black's heartbeat. Severus threw his quill down in disgust. Why would Black have been waiting for him in the forest? Why would he have followed Severus, when he knew that he couldn't apparate to the Death Eater meeting without a dark mark? What did he _want_?

It was intolerable. Snape could not abide with not understanding any longer. Resolutely, he stood and strode to the door, determined to put an end to...whatever it was. Black would give him some answers, all right.

 ***

"I saw him hold you last night," Peeves sang as Snape ascended the stairs. "He was crying, crying for you!"

"Enough!" Snape roared. "Don't tell me any more lies about Sirius Black!" He immediately cursed his loss of control, because Peeves just grinned wider. The ghost knew, now, that he'd gotten under Severus's skin, and even the threat of the Bloody Baron paled in comparison to the joy of harassing his favorite target.

"He loooooves you," Peeves cackled, floating high along the corridor, right over Snape's head. "Snape and Bla-ack sitting in a tree, f-u-c-k-i-n-g! First comes lo-ove, then comes..."

"Confuto!" A voice that was not his own bellowed, and Severus whirled around the see Sirius Black standing behind him, his wand drawn and pointed at the ghost. Peeves was still singing, but his voice was gone, and he looked distinctly unhappy about it. Shrieking noiselessly, he swept through one man, then the other, and then flew away.

Severus regarded the animagus. "That was dark magic," he observed.

"Yes," Sirius agreed. "Just about the only dark spell I know. I learned it in 7th year to shut that stupid ghost up while I was studying for my NEWTs."

"Albus would have expelled a Slytherin for doing something like that," Severus could not contain the bitterness in his voice.

Sirius seemed to recognize the tone. "I don't want to be held accountable for what Albus did or did not do," he said carefully. "I do, however, wish to speak with you. Please, will you come to the staff lounge with me and share a cup of tea?"

Snape glared at him. "I think not," he replied. "I want answers, and you will provide them. I see no reason to pretend this will be a civil conversation by carrying out the farce of pleasantries."

Sirius sighed, but seemed resigned to follow Snape's direction. "Go ahead. Ask your questions."

"Why were you spying on me?"

"I wasn't. I was watching for you. I was worried about you."

Snape snorted. "Do you really expect me to believe that, Black?" he asked, sneering. "Why did you follow me last night?"

"I just... I had this feeling that things weren't going to go well. I wanted to make sure you got home safe."

"Why?"

"I told you, I was worried about you."

"Stop lying, Black!" Severus exclaimed, losing his patience.

To his surprise, Black did not respond with a similar outburst. Instead, he looked straight into Snape's eyes and said, firmly, "I am not lying."

Snape scowled and looked away. "Do you really expect me to believe that you, of all people, are concerned about my well-being?" He hissed.

Black looked uncomfortable. "No, of course not. But I - that is, well, whether you believe me or not, I am concerned. I've become increasingly concerned. I think what you're doing is dangerous and I worry for you." He blushed, but refused to look away, and Severus glanced up to meet his eyes.

"This is ridiculous!" he exclaimed. "I don't know what you're playing at, Black, but I want no part of it. You stay away from me!" He turned on his heel and was about to stride away when he felt a hand on his arm, restraining him.

"Severus, please, wait. Let me explain. You see, it's a thin line between love and hate, and I - oh, bugger it..." Sirius's voice trailed away and then Severus felt himself being spun around, and Black was crushing him against his firm body, and Severus could feel that wild heartbeat pounding again. And then Black was leaning forward, pressing his lips against Severus's mouth, and running his tongue along his lower lip. Severus gasped and Black's tongue slipped in, exploring, as his hips ground against Snape's...

"I don't think so," Snape growled, pushing back against the other man with all his might. A burst of unrestrained magic crackled around them and Sirius went flying back into the wall, panting. He stared at Severus, shocked.

"Please - I...I realized when I was in Azkaban, and I had to know..."

"Had to know what, Black? Had to know whether your plan to kill me was borne of a secret desire for me, that you were attempting to deny? Had to know whether I, too, harbored secret feelings for you?" He advanced on Black menacingly. "Was that what you had to know, Black?" The animagus nodded, and Severus smiled his most evil smile. "Well, now you know, Black. I don't associate with mongrels." He turned on his heel and stalked away. _I don't know what you think you're doing, Black,_ he thought, _but there'll be no joking at my expense._

When Black came around the next day, Snape refused to see him. He resolutely ignored the hurt and confusion on Black's face as he slammed his office door in it. Severus refused to take his meals in the Great Hall for four days in a row, and when Albus finally insisted that he join them, he showed up late, sat on the opposite side of the table, and left early. If he was forced to endure Black's presence, say in an Order meeting, he stared at him with disdain and hatred until Black was fairly cowering under his gaze. He refused to feel guilty when Black looked at him with those big brown eyes, full of hurt and pleadings. He shut the door in Lupin's face when the werewolf joined in on the joke, trying to argue that Sirius's feelings were real and demanding that Snape stop being such a bastard.

Two weeks after the kiss, the Black mansion was sufficiently cleared out that the Order moved its headquarters over there. The first meeting was held that night, and when Severus stepped in the door, Black regarded him with a sneer of his own, although it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Snivellus," he said, "I'm not surprised my mother's portrait stopped shrieking. She knows a fellow minion of evil when she sees one."

This was normal, this was understandable. This was expected. Snape muttered something about the dog being kept on a short leash as he brushed by, pretending that the use of the old childhood insult didn't hurt him. And later that night, as he settled into his bed in the dungeons, he denied to himself that he felt any pang of regret at all about his harsh words. Black could not have changed; it was all a prank, and he was fortunate to have averted it. That was all.

And when Black died, and Potter and the werewolf and Albus Dumbledore were sobbing over the loss, Severus snuck away and hid himself in the darkest corner of his dungeons, telling himself that he didn't feel a thing - and those weren't tears shining in his own eyes.

***

Peeves looked down from his position, floating along the ceiling of the Potions classroom, and spied the huddled mess of a man in the corner. He was weeping, staring straight ahead as tears traced silvery paths down his pale cheeks, making no effort to acknowledge them or wipe them away. The poltergeist watched, unusually silent, for a long while before flitting away. For once, he didn't feel much like laughing.


End file.
